Adjournment,A Motion was made, and the Question being proposed, That this House do now adjourn(Mr Greg Pope);

And it being Two o'clock, the Motion for the adjournment of the House lapsed, without Question put, pursuant to the Standing Order.

2

Fourth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation,Mr Barry Jones reported from the Fourth Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation, the Local Government Finance (England) Special Grant Report (No. 48) on 1999-2000 Special Grant for developing new approaches to commissioning services for drug misusers.

Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee to lie upon the Table.

3

Message from the Lords,A Message was brought from the Lords, as follows:

The Lords have agreed to the Company and Business Names (Chamber of Commerce, Etc.) Bill, without Amendment.

Road Traffic (Use of Mobile Telephones) Bill,The Lords have passed a Bill to make it an offence to drive while using a hand-held mobile telephone; to which the Lords desire the concurrence of this House.

4

Employment Rights (International Obligations) Bill,Mr Tony Benn, supported by Mr Harold Best, Mrs Ann Cryer, Mr Alan Simpson, Mr Llew Smith, Audrey Wise, Mr Mike Wood, Mr Austin Mitchell, Mr Kevin McNamara, Mr Dennis Skinner, Mr Bill Etherington and Maria Fyfe presented a Bill to make provision for the implementation in the laws of the United Kingdom of the rights in employment which are established by certain international instruments ratified by the United Kingdom: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time to-morrow and to be printed [Bill 146].

5

Work with Asbestos,Ordered, That leave be given to bring in a Bill to create new offences relating to negligent or malicious practice involving work with asbestos; to increase the penalties available to the courts for existing offences; to confer new powers on the Health and Safety Executive; to amend the law with regard to the employment rights of health and safety representatives; and for connected purposes: And that Mr Harry Cohen, Mr Nick Ainger, Mr Michael Clapham, Mr Jeremy Corbyn, Tom Cox, Mr Neil Gerrard, Dr Norman A. Godman, Helen Jackson, Mr Gerald Kaufman, Mr John Smith, Dr Howard Stoate and Mr Tony Worthington do prepare and bring it in.

6

Work with Asbestos Bill,Mr Harry Cohen accordingly presented a Bill to create new offences relating to negligent or malicious practice involving work with asbestos; to increase the penalties available to the courts for existing offences; to confer new powers on the Health and Safety Executive; to amend the law with regard to the employment rights of health and safety representatives; and for connected purposes: And the same was read the first time; and ordered to be read a second time on Friday 23rd July and to be printed [Bill 147].

7

Access to Justice Bill [Lords],The House, according to Order, proceeded to consider the Reasons assigned by the Lords for disagreeing to certain of the Amendments made by this House, and an Amendment made by the Lords to an Amendment made by this House to the Access to Justice Bill [Lords].

A Motion was made, and the Question being put, That this House agrees with the Lords in the said Amendment;

The House divided.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Clive Betts, Mr Keith Hill: 319.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Bill Rammell, Mr Martin Caton: 0.

So the Question was agreed to.

Resolved, That this House agrees with the Lords in the said Amendment.

And it being after Ten o'clock, further proceedings on consideration of Lords Amendments to the Employment Relations Bill stood adjourned.

Lords Amendments to be further considered to-morrow.

9

Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Bill [Lords],The Order of the day being read for consideration of the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Bill [Lords], not amended in the Standing Committee;

Ordered, That the Bill be considered to-morrow.

10

Cinemas and Film,A Motion was made, and the Question being put forthwith, pursuant to Standing Order No. 118 (Standing Committees on Delegated Legislation), That the draft Films (Modification of the Definition of 'British Film') Order 1999, which was laid before this House on 8th July, be approved(Jim Dowd);

The House divided.

Tellers for the Ayes, Mr Robert Ainsworth, Mr Graham Allen: 314.

Tellers for the Noes, Mr Douglas Hogg, Mrs Teresa Gorman: 36.

So the Question was agreed to.

Resolved, That the draft Films (Modification of the Definition of 'British Film') Order 1999, which was laid before the House on 8th July, be approved.

11

Adjournment,Resolved, That this House do now adjourn.(Jim Dowd.)

And accordingly the House, having continued to sit until seventeen minutes past Eleven o'clock, adjourned until tomorrow.

[Adjourned at 11.17 p.m.

Betty BoothroydSpeaker

Madam Speaker will take the Chair at half-past Eleven o'clock.

APPENDIX I

Papers presented or laid upon the Table:

1

Courts and Legal Services,Report of the Court Service for 1998-99 [by Act]; to be printed [No. 706] [Mr Keith Vaz].

2

Culture, Media and Sport Executive Agencies,Report and Accounts of the Royal Parks Agency for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 600] [Mr Secretary Smith].

3

Defence Executive Agencies,Reports and Accounts of

(1) Defence Codification Agency,

(2) Defence Postal and Courier Services Agency, and

(3) Royal Air Force Signals Engineering Establishment

for 1998-99, with the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [Nos. 720, 521 and 677] [Mr Secretary Robertson].

4

Electricity,Report of the Director General for Electricity Supply: Office of Electricity Regulation (Offer) for 1998 [by Act]; to be printed [No. 646] [Mr Secretary Byers].

5

Gas,Report of the Director General for Gas Supply: Office of Gas Supply (Ofgas) for 1998 [by Act]; to be printed [No. 645] [Mr Secretary Byers].

6

Government Trading Funds,Reports and Accounts of

(1) Companies House, and

(2) The Patent Office

for 1998-99, with the Reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [Nos. 635 and 718] [Clerk of the House].

7

Local Government,Report and Accounts of the London Pensions Fund Authority for 1998-99 [by Act] [Mr Secretary Prescott].

Museums and Galleries,Account of the Victoria and Albert Museum for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 768] [Clerk of the House].

10

National Heritage (Scotland),Accounts of the Royal Botanical Garden, Edinburgh for 1998-99 with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 769] [Clerk of the House].

11

National Insurance,National Insurance Fund Long Term Financial Estimates: Report by the Government Actuary on the Quinquennial Review for the period ended 5th April 1995 [by Command] [Cm. 4406] [Dawn Primarolo].

12

National Lottery,Account of the Arts Council of England Lottery Distribution for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 772] [Clerk of the House].

13

Prosecution of Offences,Report of the Crown Prosecution Service for 1998-99 [by Act]; to be printed [No. 675] [Mr Attorney General].

14

Public Lending Right,Account of the Public Lending Right Central Fund for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act]; to be printed [No. 770] [Clerk of the House].

15

Science and Technology,Report and Summary Financial Statement of the Economic and Social Research Council for 1998-99, with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General thereon [by Act] [Mr Secretary Byers].

16

Treaty Series (No. 45, 1999),Agreement, done at Tallinn on 16th August 1995, between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Republic of Estonia on International Road Transport [by Command] [Cm. 4398] [Mr Secretary Cook].

Defence,Minutes of Evidence taken before the Defence Committee [Defence Research Expenditure]; to be printed [No. 616-iv] [Mr Bruce George].

2

Education and Employment,(1) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Education Sub-Committee of the Education and Employment Committee [The role of private companies in the management and supply of state education services]; to be printed [No. 763-i] [Mr Malcolm Wicks]; and

(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Employment Sub-Committee of the Education and Employment Committee [The Employment Consequences of European Economic and Monetary Union]; to be printed [No. 547-iv] [Mr Derek Foster].

3

Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs,(1) Sixteenth Report from the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee [Multilateral Environmental Agreements]; together with Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Environment Sub-Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [Nos. 307-I and III]; and

(2) Seventeenth Report from the Committee [Housing: PPG3]; together with Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [Nos. 490-I and III]

[Mr Andrew F. Bennett].

4

European Scrutiny,(1) Twenty-seventh Report from the European Scrutiny Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 34-xxvii]; and

(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [Post-Council Scrutiny: the Internal Market Council, 21 June 1999]; to be printed [No. 766]

[Mr Jimmy Hood].

5

Northern Ireland Affairs,(1) Third Report from the Committee [Impact in Northern Ireland of Cross-Border Road Fuel Price Differentials], together with Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 334];

(2) Fourth Report from the Committee [The Operation of the Fair Employment Act 1989: Ten Years On], together with Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 95]; and

(3) Papers laid before the Committee [Miscellaneous]

[Mr Peter Brooke].

6

Public Administration,Minutes of Evidence taken before the Select Committee on Public Administration [Freedom of Information Draft Bill]; to be printed [No. 570-xii] [Dr Tony Wright].

7

Scottish Affairs,(1) Second Report from the Scottish Affairs Committee [Tourism in Scotland], together with Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 85]; and

(2) Minutes of Evidence taken before the Committee [The Work of The Scottish Office]; to be printed [No. 771]

[Mr David Marshall].

8

Science and Technology,Minutes of Evidence taken before the Science and Technology Committee [The Year 2000-Computer Compliance: Follow up]; to be printed [No. 692-ii] [Lynne Jones].

9

Social Security,Minutes of Evidence taken before the Social Security Committee [Social Security Implications of Parental Leave]; to be printed [No. 543-ii] [Mr Archy Kirkwood].

10

Welsh Affairs,(1) Sixth Report from the Welsh Affairs Committee [Denbighshire County Council's Funding Crisis], together with Appendices; to be printed, with the Minutes of Proceedings of the Committee relating to the Report [No. 340];

(2) Third Special Report from the Committee [Government Response to the Second Report from the Committee, on Broadcasting in Wales and the National Assembly]; to be printed [No. 774]; and